Man forged identity to buy house then rented it to himself

A FRAUDSTER from Hounslow who created an elaborate alias as part of an eight-year benefit scam has been jailed.

John Taylor, 43, of Central Avenue, scammed the council out of more than £40,000 by obtaining property under a false name, but was eventually snared when his handwriting was studied by forensic experts.

He bought a house under the alias of

Wayne Wolsey Vernon, of Central Avenue, Hounslow, on May 22, 2003 for £225,000.

He then made four fraudulent claims for housing and council tax benefit, claiming that Wayne Wolsey Vernon was in fact his landlord, who had increased his rent four times between June 2003 and March 2008.

Taylor had been claiming housing benefit and council tax benefit from

Hounslow Council since December 1997.

His case was referred to the council's housing benefit fraud investigation unit on April 8, 2008, following another claim from Taylor for discretionary housing payments (DHP).

Documents in the names of John Taylor and Wayne Vernon were then submitted to the Laboratory of Government Chemists for the hand

writing to be analysed by one of a team forensic scientists, who concluded they had been produced by the same author.

It was calculated that between June 23, 2003 and October 26, 2008, Taylor was overpaid housing benefit to the tune of £42,238.98.

Taylor admitted all four charges of fraud at Brentford Magistrates' Court on July 22 and was sentenced to a

total of 12 months' imprisonment.

Councillor Ed Mayne, the council's cabinet member for crime and community safety said: "These were multiple acts of fraud committed over a long period of time with a high degree of planning.

"This prosecution sends out a message that if you commit benefit fraud in the borough, you will be caught and sent to prison."